KetsuekiRyuu (Fukutsu no Seishin)
"Whether death threaten me, or temptation draw me, I will never set wing within the Observatory unless it is with my clan at my back" Background KetsuekiRyuu was the dragon who found a site for her lair, which would later become the first home for the clan Fukutsu no Seishin. She worked to make it large enough to hold multiple dragons in the hopes that she would not be alone for long. She had been young, and perhaps naive, when she started her project. Beginning in winter, when even the magic of the Starfall Isles could not entirely keep out the chill, had not been her smartest idea, but she had been driven to do it nonetheless out of a desire for company after being alone all her life. She did not know what had happened to her parents, with only a vague recollection of two red fae, much like herself, before they had disappeared. Why they had abandoned her, she did not know, but they had and at times she grew quite bitter in her thoughts when she remembered her hatchling self clinging to the peak of one of the crystal spines protruding from the water, desperately seeking shelter and food. When her plans finally bore fruit and she was joined by Kanshi, begging her for shelter and help saving the almost cold egg he was carrying, she was delighted, and accepted his advances. If they mated, then he would not leave her. The loss of her child almost killed her, only her other two keeping her sane as she looked desperately, only to find her safe and cared for in an Ice clan. Her daughter’s abandonment hurt, but the young guardian’s determination to enter the clan, not as a replacement out of guilt but because she thought she belonged there, soothed the ache. As the clan began to grow, with more and more hatchlings, and the occasional grown dragon, joining the clan, she was relieved. While many that were born there, including her remaining two children, decided that it was time for them to move on, most going to serve the Arcanist directly, the clan was now so numerous that she knew she need never worry about being abandoned, and that despite her suspicions that her parents, too, could be found in the Observatory, she swore an oath to herself, binding it with her own magic, that the day she stepped foot in the Observatory would be the day the entire clan moved there with the prestige of a lair honoured enough by the Arcanist to be referred to as Ancient. Personality She is a motherly figure, prone to getting attached to the hatchlings in the lair very quickly and often rescuing them from dangers they did not realise they were in. This passion to protect them carries over as they reach dragonhood, and more than once she has had to be reminded that they are no longer hatchlings, and in many cases have become more capable of defending themselves than she is of protecting them. She is also a good decision maker, and is the undisputed leader of the clan despite never formally running for the position. Her high intelligence helps keep the clan safe, and on the rare occasions that she will bark out an order, often interpreted by one or two of the other dragons for the sake of those that struggle to understand her monotone, it is instantly obeyed, and never questioned. There are times when she goes quiet, and the mood around her is melancholy at best, evident to even the coatls in the clan. This often occurs after a hatchling she grew particularly close to leaves the clan for whatever reason, echoing the abandonment she tries to forget. It tends not to take her too long to recover, although sometimes the help of members of the clan is needed, and she will return to her usual self. At times she can also be quite playful with even the older dragons, teasing them mercilessly if their pride is dented, but always in good humour, which is normally reciprocated. There are some dragons she has learnt to leave alone, after a few aggravated gestures that even she could understand, but others, particularly Kanshi, she has no qualms about poking fun at. Role Within The Clan Not by her own choice, KetsuekiRyuu is the sole clan leader and is often looked to for guidance with any major decisions. She does not like ruling alone, and often worries that she is too heavy-handed, or maybe even not strict enough, especially now that the clan has grown so large. She is always looking for help, particularly from Kanshi, but so far has received nothing beyond dedicated support which, while nice, is not exactly what she was looking for. Appearance For a female fae, her size is average. Things like apparel have yet to appeal to her, aside from the occasional citrine bands that serve as a physical reminder and binding contract of her oath, and the same goes for changing her appearance subtly or completely. Her only aim was to change her genes, transforming her appearance entirely away from the abandoned hatchling without changing her colours with the help of iridescent, shimmer and spines, which would darken her to match her occasional mood, and also make her seem a little less friendly to dragons who want to take advantage of her hospitality in ways she does not permit. Now that the transformation is complete, she has often been mistaken for a dragon originating in the Scarred Wasteland, at least until the stranger sees her piercing pink eyes, in which she holds pride. Abilities Magic As a fae, particularly one born within the Starfall Isles, KetsuekiRyuu’s magic is strong and she has little difficulty in channelling it to do various tasks. One of her main aims, is to reinforce the magical barriers around the lair, already almost unreachable as the unstable magic around the Observatory pulls it up, away from the ground that makes up the majority of the disintegrating and re-growing Focal Point. While she likes to use her magic for the sake of the clan, there is one potent magic that she used selfishly. Her oath, swearing her to only enter the Observatory when the entire clan is granted space to live there, was bound with the strongest magic she possessed, to the extent that she cannot even fly near the Observatory. Mêlée With regards to physical fighting, she is useless. Her small frame makes her a difficult target to hit, but her own hits have no power behind them in turn, leaving her reliant on either her magic or the warriors of the clan on the rare occasion that she enters the coliseum. One day she has decided to spend enough time in there to classify herself as a warrior mage, but physical fighting is, and will always be, beyond her. Relationships Kanshi Kanshi is her closest, and oldest friend. When they first met they were so desperate for company that they misunderstood what it was they really needed, assuming that they had been looking for a mate. While none of their children still reside within the clan, she does not regret that mistake. Despite the lack of regret on either side, they have never attempted it again, instead becoming the best of friends. While Kanshi constantly refuses her requests to help lead the clan, he does not protest as she uses his shoulder as a perch when her wings tire after chasing the hatchlings or reinforcing further their defences. When he is politely refused by yet another female in the clan, KetsuekiRyuu always does her best to pick him up, understanding that while she has filled the loneliness with the clan as a whole, only half-heartedly looking for a mate, he still seeks a more intimate relationship. Her methods of cheering him are perhaps unconventional, consisting mainly of teasing, but it has yet to fail. Kikai Having raised Kikai, with the help of Kanshi and the ever-protective Hoseki, the nocturne is always one of the quickest to defer to her. While she lacks the fins to completely express herself, she is fluent enough in fae signals to translate for the rest of the clan when KetsuekiRyuu gets a little too excited and forgets that most of the clan take a few moments to understand what she says. On a more personal level, their relationship is one of mother and child. KetsuekiRyuu worries over her more than the rest of the clan, despite the nocturne’s ability to take care of herself just fine, and Kikai constantly works to please her, seeking her approval on many matters, including when she selected her mate. Hoseki She respects Hoseki for her ability to defend the clan, and is relieved that she is with them. However, the guardian reminds her of her child, residing in the lair Hoseki was born, and that is not something she is always too fond of so at times she can get somewhat cold towards her. Hoseki takes it in her stride, and has never shown any signs of offence on the occasion when KetsuekiRyuu has ignored her. Trivia * KetsuekiRyuu (血液竜) is Japanese for blood dragon * KetsuekiRyuu is TsarinaTorment's custom progen Category:Clan Leader Category:Arcane Dragon Category:Fae Category:Female